FIRST PICK

The long-awaited day came at last when Mother took us to the station to welcome Father home from the war. My brother Harry, who had been very small when Father went overseas and couldn't remember what he looked like, was watching everything intently.

As the soldiers left the train, they marched past the roped-off crowds. Father was the first to come by. Mother called to him and he broke ranks to greet us.

We were overjoyed to have Father home again, and everything went smoothly until later in the day when Harry misbehaved and Dad scolded him. Harry glared at him, then turned to Mother and demanded indignantly, "Did you HAVE to pick the first one you saw?"